USB INSTALLER FOR SLACKWARE 12.0
================================
This directory contains a script (create_multipartboot.sh) and several other
files that will transform your USB stick into a bootable Slackware installer.
The script creates an multi-partition image file (hence the script's
filename), which you need to copy onto a USB stick.
A (small) FAT partition contains the slackware setup program and the
bootable code, while the rest of the available space will be used up by a
'ext2' formatted partition in which as much Slackware packages are stored
as can fit.
The size of the image file is variable, so that you can optimally use the
available space on your USB stick.
* With a 256 MB stick you will be able to install the "a", "ap" and "n"
package series (minus the individual packages "ap/hplip ap/linuxdoc-tools
n/samba n/net-snmp") to create a minimal but functional
(and network-capable!) Slackware system.
* With a 512 MB stick, you are able to install the "a", "ap", "d", "f",
"l" and "n" series (minus the "d/clisp d/gcc-java d/gcc-gfortran d/gcc-gnat
l/jre l/lesstiff n/net-snmp" packages).
* A 1GB stick will be able to hold the "a", "ap", "d", "f", "kde", "l",
"n", "t", "tcl", "x", "xap" and "y" package series (minus "d/clisp
d/gcc-java d/gcc-gfortran d/gcc-gnat kde/koffice xap/seamonkey"), which
will leave just the "e" "k" and "kdei" series to be installed from another
medium.
* A 2GB stick will hold all the package series and the /extra plus /testing
directories as well (the sources excluded).
Imagine the fun of carrying your Slackware installer with you on your
key chain or in your pocket!
Requirements:
-------------
What you need apart from all the files here, is:
* the 'ms-sys' program (get a Slackware package here:
http://www.slackware.com/~alien/slackbuilds/ms-sys/pkg/)
* a local mirror of the Slackware 12.0 tree (or at least the "isolinux",
"kernels" and "slackware" directories)
Usage of the "create_multipartboot.sh" script:
----------------------------------------------
* Run the script as: "sh create_multipartboot.sh -h" to get an overview of
the commandline parameters and image sizes
* To create an image file that fits on a 512 MB USB stick, run the script as
follows: "sh create_multipartboot.sh 509"
(it is best to create an image that is slightly smaller than the advertised
USB key size else you run the risk it won't fit...)
* The default action (if you run the script without parameters, like this:
"sh create_multipartboot.sh") is to create a 253 MB image file for a 256 MB
USB stick.
* If your copy of the Slackware 12.0 directory tree is located anywhere else
than the directory "/home/ftp/pub/Linux/Slackware/slackware-12.0" you can
run the script as follows indicating where you _do_ have your local copy of
Slackware-12.0:
"SLACKROOT=/tmp/slack-12 sh create_multipartboot.sh 509"
... if your Slackware directory is "/tmp/slack-12" and you have a 512MB USB
stick.
The resulting image file is created by default in a directory "/tmp/slackboot"
which will be created if it does not yet exist.
Copy the image to a USB stick:
------------------------------
cd /tmp/slackboot
dd if=usbhd.img of=/dev/sda
(if /dev/sda is the device name for your USB stick).
NOTE 1: This will overwrite any data that is currently present on the device
so take very good care not to type the name of your harddisk here!
NOTE 2: your computer BIOS must support booting from "USB HDD"
Usage of the bootable USB stick:
--------------------------------
Plug the stick into your computer's USB slot, and boot it up. Make sure you
select "boot from USB-HDD" - how you do this is very dependent on the type
of computer you have. Many computers will display a message during the initial
stages of the booting that says something like
"Press [F12] for a boot device list"
The Slackware installer will start just like when you had booted from a CDROM.
Log in as "root". Start the install as usual, by creating disk partitions and
running "setup".
If you want to install from a NFS server (but why should you want that with the
packages being on your USB stick?), you should run the commands "pcmcia"
(if your network card is PCMCIA) and/or "network" prior to the "setup" command
in order to load a driver for your network card.
Once you get to the "SOURCE" menu, you will notice that the default selection
is a new entry: "Install from a Slackware USB stick". Accept this selection,
and the installer should search for (and find) the partition on your USB stick
with the Slackware package series on it. The rest of the install will proceed
just like you are used to when doing CDROM based installs.
Note:
-----
If you want to re-use your USB stick as an 'ordinary' data carrier, you'll
have to wipe the first sector and create a new FAT partition on it.
These are the actual commands (note that the fdisk command spans 10 lines,
from the "fdisk /dev/sda " up to the final "EOF". This is called
a "here document" - look it up!
All the commands needed to create the FAT partition fully automatic are
positioned on their own line.
You can of course create the FAT partition manually but consider this as a
bonus learning experience :-)
# -------------------------------------------------------------
# Commands to re-create a functional USB stick with FAT partition:
# Take care about which device actually is your USB stick !!!!!!!!!
# The next command will wipe all that is on /dev/sda :
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
fdisk /dev/sda <<EOF # create a FAT16 partition (type '6')
n
p
1
t
6
w
EOF
mkdosfs -F32 /dev/sda1 # Format with a vfat filesystem
# -------------------------------------------------------------
Have fun! Report problems to me (alien at slackware dot com) and not to Pat.
===============================================================================
Eric Hameleers <alien at slackware dot com> 05-jul-2007